GlaxoSmithKline India to Enter Generics Market

The Indian affiliate of UK-based drug major GlaxoSmithKline, GSK India, has outlined plans to partially enter the local generics market. Senior company officials suggest that the move will be limited to the Indian market, and new off-patent launches could include GSK's own drugs or products originally patented by other leading drug companies. The company is also studying in-licensing patented from other research-based companies' products for the Indian market.

Nevertheless, the company insists it will maintain its existing focus on patented products in chronic therapeutic segments, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, and will only introduce patent-expired products where appropriate. It is hoped that the strategy will enable the company to fill portfolio gaps, rather than compete intensively against potential rivals in the well-developed local generics sector.

Meanwhile, an improvement in the outlook for intellectual property protection has led the company to recently launch drugs that are part of GSK's offering in developed markets, including new vaccines, anti-diabetes treatments Rosiglitazone and Metformin and anti-ulcer drug Rabeprazole. Nevertheless, given the prospect of poor enforcement of new intellectual property regulations, the company is likely to proceed cautiously in the short term.